No fewer than 500 internally displaced persons (IDPs), mostly women and children, have benefited from empowerment support at the Durumi IDP Camp in Abuja, while 10 children were awarded educational scholarships under the AMA Care and Shelter Initiative.

The outreach programme, led by Ambassador Amina Albert, featured the distribution of vocational tools, start-up support and educational assistance aimed at improving livelihoods and promoting self-reliance among displaced persons.

Speaking during the event, Ambassador Albert said the intervention went beyond the provision of relief items, explaining that it was designed to restore dignity and create sustainable opportunities for beneficiaries.

According to her, women in the camp received sewing machines, grinding machines, chillers and start-up funds to enable them establish small-scale businesses and attain economic independence.

She stressed that humanitarian assistance plays a critical role in empowering vulnerable populations and strengthening communities, noting that lack of access to basic needs often traps individuals in cycles of poverty and vulnerability.

Ambassador Albert also announced the award of scholarships to 10 children, in addition to the 22 children already under the initiative’s scholarship programme. She described education as a vital pathway to a brighter future and long-term development.

She said the initiative focuses on building hope, restoring dignity and creating lasting change, adding that investments in vulnerable groups ultimately contribute to national development.

The outreach, which coincided with the ambassador’s birthday, was supported by partners and volunteers, whom she commended for their commitment to improving the lives of displaced persons.

She also called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to ensure continued empowerment and upliftment of disadvantaged communities across the country.

Reacting to the intervention, the Women Leader of the Durumi IDP Camp, Ayuba Yusuf, said that in the 15 years of the camp’s existence, residents had never witnessed such an impactful programme.

She noted that while organisations and individuals often visit the camp to donate relief materials and leave, Ambassador Albert’s initiative had given residents renewed hope.

“I have never seen this kind of programme before. What Ambassador Amina has done is practical and real. Many people—both men and women—are going to benefit from this gesture,” she said.

Yusuf added that the intervention brought joy and relief to the women in the camp, helping them momentarily forget past hardships.
“You can see our women dancing. She has truly put smiles on our faces and made us forget some of the painful experiences of the past. We say a big thank you to her,” she added.

She urged Nigerians to take a cue from Ambassador Albert by supporting IDPs to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into their communities.“We are tired of staying in this camp. We want to return to our communities and take care of ourselves. We call on others to join hands with the ambassador to support us,” she said.